p. 18Method of Meditation

To meditate means in general nothing else than to reflect seriously on some subject. Meditation, as mental prayer, is a serious reflection on some religious truth or event, united with reference and application to ourselves, in order thereby to excite in us certain pious sentiments—such as contrition, humility, faith, hope, charity, etc.—and to move our will to form good resolutions conformable to these pious sentiments. Such an exercise has naturally a beneficial influence on our soul and greatly conduces to enlighten our mind and to move our will to practise virtue. This is confirmed by the experience of all the fervent servants of God, who not only were themselves zealously addicted to this kind of prayer, but also earnestly recommended it to all Christians who have at heart their salvation and the perfection compatible with their state. “Fervent meditation,” says St. Thomas, “enlightens the understanding, dispels ignorance, inflames the will with holy desires, and turns its attention to divine things.” St. Bernard thus recommends it: “Mental prayer purifies the soul, directs our inclinations, regulates our actions and morals, corrects our faults and sanctifies our life.” St. Teresa was so persuaded of the efficacy of this means of salvation, that she asserted that he who daily devotes a quarter of an hour to mental prayer cannot be lost. As many do not practise this kind of prayer under the plea that it is too difficult, we give here a method of meditation according to St. Ignatius, from which every one can perceive that mental prayer is something so natural to the soul, that there can be no great difficulty in practising it.

Remote Preparation. Lay aside all that hinders meditation,—such as a worldly spirit, distractions,—and practise what promotes it, that is, mortification, self-denial, recollection.

Proximate Preparation. Carefully read the subject of meditation on the preceding evening, and determine not only the points of the meditation together with the preparation, but also more especially the fruit thou intendest to draw therefrom corresponding to the present state of thy soul. When retiring to rest reflect on the subject of meditation. At awakening turn thy thoughts to it again, and occupy thyself with it while dressing and during thy other duties until the time of meditation. Before beginning p. 19it, recollect thyself, considering before whom thou art, what thou intendest to do, with whom thou wishest to speak, and with a very lively faith represent God as present to thyself; then kneel down and fervently recite the Preparatory Prayer.

O my God, I firmly believe that Thou art here present, and I acknowledge that, because of my sins, I am wholly unworthy to appear in Thy holy presence. Trusting, nevertheless, in Thy infinite goodness and mercy, I venture to speak to Thee, to call upon Thy holy Name, and to meditate on Thy teachings and commandments, in order always to know better and fulfil more faithfully Thy holy will. Enlighten, then, my understanding that I may discover what I should do or omit in order to promote my salvation, that I may, with my whole heart, repent of my sins and of my neglect and want of fidelity in Thy service, and resolve to perform all that Thou requirest of me. Grant me especially the grace to know Jesus Christ, my Redeemer and Guide, always better and better, so that I may love Him more ardently, and may, after His example, labor, combat and suffer with generosity and self-sacrifice.

First Prelude. Vividly represent to thyself the place, the persons, or at least an image of the subject of the meditation, in order to prevent distractions, more easily grasp the truth itself and more deeply impress it on thy mind. Thus thou wilt have less difficulty in bringing back thy mind, when it wanders, to the subject of meditation.

Second Prelude. Pray to God to enlighten thy understanding and stir up thy will, that thou mayst obtain the fruit thou seekest from the meditation, such as the giving up of some fault, or the acquisition of some virtue. Take a suitable position; do not let thy eyes wander about, but keep them either closed or quietly fixed on some object, e.g., on a crucifix, or a picture of Our Lady, etc.

The Meditation is thus made. Begin by exercising thy memory briefly on one point after another, so that if a point contains some practical teaching, thou representest it as given to thee—and by whom. If, however, it contains some fact, thou shouldst represent it to thyself with all its principal circumstances, just as if it were enacted before thy eyes; and then thou canst ask thyself: Who did this? How? When? Where? Why, etc.?

Exercise of the Understanding. Thou next reflectest more closely on what thy memory represented to thee, in order to penetrate the meaning of the truth under consideration, to understand its reasons, to acknowledge its importance, to weigh well its consequences, and thus clearly and vividly grasp p. 20what thou canst apply to thyself. To facilitate this reflection, answer the following questions: (1) What should I especially consider in this truth, in this fact?—(2) What can and should I learn therefrom?—(3) What am I actually required to perform?—(4) Who imparts this doctrine, this hint, this command?—(5) How have I hitherto acted? Does my past life, my past conduct, agree with the teaching or truth on which I am meditating? What are the usual causes and inducements of my past shortcomings? On what occasions do I generally fall?—(6) How should I act in future, and already on this very day, on such and such an occasion?—(7) How suitable, how necessary, how easy, how difficult, how useful, how agreeable, is it for me to do this? What have I to hope by doing it? What to fear if I do not? How have the saints acted in such cases? How would my Saviour, the most Blessed Virgin, my holy Patrons act, were they in my place?—(8) What obstacles must I remove, what means employ, to overcome the inordinate inclinations which, as I know, are the principal sources of my wrong-doing?

Exercise of the Will. This is done by often awakening, during the foregoing considerations, pious sentiments of contrition, love, thanksgiving, admiration, shame, fear, confidence and the like, as may be appropriate to the subject meditated. But thou shouldst especially make good resolutions for the future, and particularly for the present day. Thy resolutions should be earnest and sincere, not too general, and suited to thy present wants and circumstances. In making them thou shouldst endeavor to foresee the obstacles and difficulties in the way, and likewise the means and manner of removing and overcoming them.

It matters not in what order the three aforesaid faculties are exercised during meditation, and it is still less necessary to classify them, that is, to define or ascertain to which faculty each operation belongs. The principal thing is to acknowledge the truth, to take it earnestly to heart and to be moved thereby to amend our life and make progress in virtue.

Having gone through the first point in this way, thou mayst proceed in like manner with the second point, and then with the third. But so long as thy mind or thy heart finds nourishment in any point or thought, thou shouldst dwell thereon, even if this would take up the whole time allotted to the meditation. What remains of it may serve for the next day’s meditation.

When we speak with God in the exercise of the will and in awakening in us pious affections and good resolutions, we should show greater reverence, not only interiorly, but also in our exterior deportment.

If thou sufferest from distractions or spiritual dryness, beware of interrupting, shortening or giving up the meditation for this reason. On the contrary, be persuaded that, if thou bear this trial with patience and resignation, humbling thyself before God and persevering in prayer, thou canst gain many graces and much merit.

At the end of the meditation collect thy resolutions together, and, in the form of a colloquy, beseech the Blessed Virgin to obtain for thee the grace to perform them conscientiously, saying a Hail Mary to this intention. Then, with the same object in view, turn to thy divine Saviour as to thy Mediator with the Father and recite this beautiful prayer of St. Ignatius.

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.—Body of Christ, save me.—Blood of Christ, inebriate p. 21me.—Water from the side of Christ, wash me.—Passion of Christ, strengthen me.—O good Jesus, hear me.—Within thy wounds hide me.—Permit me not to be separated from Thee.—From the malignant enemy defend me.—In the hour of my death call me.—And bid me come to Thee.—That with Thy saints I may praise Thee.—Forever and ever. Amen.

Finally, with the same intention, turn to God the Father and devoutly recite the Our Father.

These colloquies should be carried on as if a friend were speaking with a friend, a servant with his employer, a child with his father, a patient with his physician, by imploring some grace, or accusing one’s self of a past fault, or making known one’s doubts or difficulties, etc., and begging counsel and assistance.

Choose an aspiration or a text of Scripture, or a short saying that resumes briefly the whole meditation. Repeat it often during the day at thy work, and especially during temptation, that thou mayst remember the resolution of thy meditation and thy promise to God.

Finally, examine how thou didst make thy meditation by answering these questions: (1) How did I make the preparation?—(2) Did I on the eve read or listen with attention to the meditation, when it was read, and appoint both preludes and the fruit to be drawn from it?—(3) Did I recall the points before falling asleep?—(4) Did I on awakening reflect on them, and also while dressing and during the rest of the time until the hour of meditation?—(5) How did I conduct myself during meditation?—(6) Was I calm and recollected at the beginning?—(7) Did I devoutly say the preparatory prayer?—(8) How did I make the two preludes?—(9) Did I call to mind the subject of meditation?—(10) Did I perform well the exercise of the understanding?—(11) What lights did I receive?—(12) What consolations or distractions did I have?—(13) How did I act with regard to the distractions, or during the time of dryness?—(14) Did I endeavor to exercise the affections and the will more than the understanding?—(15) Was the position of my body appropriate, showing greater reverence during the exercise of the will than during that of the understanding?—(16) Did I dwell on each point as long as I found nourishment therein?—(17) Did I engage in colloquy with God, or with Mary or the saints?—(18) Did I devote the whole of the prescribed time to meditation?—If we discover that our meditation was well made, let us thank p. 22God and resolve to do as well the next time. If our meditation was a failure, in whole or in part, let us examine why it was so, repent of our want of fidelity and resolve to be more conscientious the next time.

It promotes greatly our spiritual life to keep a memorandum of the special lights received during meditation, and of our most important resolutions, and to read them from time to time, especially on our monthly retreat days.

Synopsis of the Method of Meditation

Preparation

The Beginning

First Prelude. Represent to thyself the place, the personages, or an image of the subject of meditation.

Second Prelude. Pray for light for thy understanding and for inspiration for thy will, that thou mayst derive the special fruit of this meditation.

The Middle

Thy memory places the subject of meditation before the mind: who? what? where? how? when? why?

The understanding reflects on the subject: (1) What should I specially consider in this subject?—(2) What practical conclusion should I draw therefrom?—(3) How have I hitherto observed this?—(4) How should I observe it in future?—(5) Why? Is it meet (for me as man, as Christian, etc.)p. 23—useful for both this life and the next—easy and agreeable (grace of God, peace of mind), necessary?—(6) What obstacles must I remove? What means should I use?

The will is exercised during the whole meditation, first, by pious affections, acts of admiration, gratitude, self-humiliation, fear, love, contrition, confidence, desire; secondly, by special good resolutions to be performed that very day.

The End

Colloquy with Mary as our advocate with Jesus.—Hail Mary.—With Jesus as our Mediator with the Father.—Soul of Christ, etc., p. 21.—With God the Father.—Our Father.

Choice of a saying or of a pious aspiration, which may remind thee during the day of thy resolution.

Retrospect

1. Examine how thou didst make the meditation. If well, thank God and resolve to make it always well. If poorly, be sorry for it, seek and remove the causes.

2. Review once more the whole truth meditated upon, especially what may have enlightened thee or caused thee dryness; renew and confirm thy resolutions, and note down thy special lights.